Andy Vasquez

The response to discriminatory laws in Indiana, North Carolina, and Mississippi makes it clear that everyone is affected. So we all have a role to play in making sure that Tennessee is able to attract good jobs and keep our economy open for business. That includes conservatives, independents, and business people, too. Please, endorse Keep Tennessee Open For Business. Use your voice and your influence to speak out for a prosperous Tennessee.

Economic opportunity allows individuals to live up to their potential and keeps families strong. Discriminatory laws in other states have resulted in billions of dollars of losses because of boycotts and companies reconsidering their investments . Tennessee cannot afford to go down that road. Legislation like HB1840, which allows counselors to discriminate, and HB2414, which micromanages which bathrooms students are allowed to use, risks Tennessee's prosperity.

I endorse Keep Tennessee Open For Business to say that I stand for economic opportunity for our state and against discriminatory legislation that poses a threat to our future.

Generous anonymous donors have come forward and offered to match all donations to the TEP Foundation between NOW and 11:59 p.m. Central Time on December 31! That means that your gift is doubled and your impact for advancing equality in Tennessee is doubled.

C A N W E M A T C H O U R M O M E N T ?

Matching Our Moment...Marriage equality is on its way to Tennessee, but what happens when a lesbian working at a company with no non-discrimination policy puts a picture of her wife on her desk? We've made progress in our cities, but too often hate violence erupts in the very cities where we've passed non-discrimination ordinances and partner benefits. And while the adults start to get legal protections, LGBT students in Tennessee are left behind--bullied at schools and in some cases driven out of their homes by parents who refuse to accept them because their minds have taken in hateful messages.

Our Moment is one of opposition, one of need, and most of all, one of opportunity. Can we match our moment?

Your tax deductible contribution to the TEP Foundation by December 31 helps us do just that. You can give online or send your dated check in a post-marked envelope to P.O. Box 330895 Nashville, TN 37203.

Matching Our Opposition: We face two kinds of opposition in Tennessee. There is the very well-funded public arm of opposition in the form of far Right lobbying groups that seek to promote a culture of fear and intolerance in congregations, in the media, and in our Legislature. And then there is more diffused kind of opposition--a sermon that seems to come from out of nowhere, an outrageous remark by a county commissioner, or a store that refuses to serve a transgender person. The TEP Foundation's programs through diversity training, media engagement, and Equality Means Business help shape Tennessee's culture with the values of equality and inclusion. When you invest in equality in Tennessee, you give us a fighting chance against the opposition.

Matching Our Need: The data on bullying in our schools tells the story. The Tennessee Department of Education revealed there were over 5400 confirmed cases of bullying in Tennessee schools in 2012. National data consistently shows Southern states are underfunded by significant percentages. LGBT people and our allies need victories, however small, and we need hope so that victories can grow. TEP Foundation programs like SAFE (Schools Are For Everyone) Tennessee assist GSAs, help communities deal with bullying, and help citizens engage their school boards with solutions.

Matching Our Opportunity: Potential allies are all around us. Meaningful victories are within reach. How we handle the first days of marriage equality in Tennessee can set the stage for a safer, more inclusive Tennessee for all of us. When you support TEP Foundation programs like Tennessee Ready for Marriage on DAY ONE and Equality Means Business you give allies concrete ways to show their support and grow the movement. We are grateful for your support.